Ann Arbor Senior Caregivers Tip: Improving Sleep for Family Caregivers

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Jan. 26, 2014 - PRLog -- Everyone misses out on a good night’s sleep at some point or another, but when adequate sleep becomes a nightly struggle, it drains energy and can drastically affect a person’s health, mood and daily functioning. Family caregivers dealing with the challenges of providing for the needs of a loved one often face nights of poor sleep.

People who have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep may be dealing with the sleep disorder called insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia also can include waking up too early in the morning or feeling unrefreshed upon waking. Insomnia is classified as either short-term or chronic when it lasts at least three nights a week for a month or longer. Adults generally need seven to eight hours of restorative sleep a night.

Some 60 million Americans are affected by insomnia each year. Among family caregivers, sleep deprivation is common because of the physical and emotional stress of caring for another, often while maintaining the responsibilities of children, work and home. Worry over an aging loved one’s condition and the exacting duties of overseeing bathing, dressing, medications, nutrition, doctor appointments, finances and other daily needs of the loved one takes its toll on family caregivers and their normal sleep patterns.

“With little to no sleep, family caregivers can get stuck in a wearisome cycle of exhaustion, mental fog, irritability and depression, which ends up affecting the quality of care they give their loved one,” said Charles Williams, President and General Manager of Right at Home Ann Arbor. “Without adequate rest, family caregivers risk depleting their own health and face eventual caregiver burnout.”

Williams suggests the following steps to help family caregivers safeguard against insomnia and learn to cope with the challenges of erratic sleep:

· Discuss recurrent sleep problems with your doctor. Certain medical conditions such as chronic pain, breathing difficulties, frequent urination, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and an overactive thyroid can lead to insomnia. Special sleep testing and homeopathic and conventional sleep aids canhelp alleviate underlying causes of insomnia.

· Adjust caffeine and energy drink consumption. Insomnia sufferers are tempted to counter their fatigue with caffeinated coffee, soft drinks and energy drinks, but caffeine is a major culprit in disrupting sleep. To regain regular sleep, it helps to eliminate caffeine completely or avoid caffeine consumption after 2 p.m.

· Incorporate exercise into every day. Research shows that exercise during the day promotes better sleep at night. Even a brief 10-minute walk outside or climbing stairs inside can improve nightly rest.

· Unwind tight muscles before sleep with a warm bath or shower and gentle upper-body stretches or yoga.

· Reduce environmental factors like light, noise and extreme temperatures that interfere with sleep.

· Regularly ask for help from others. Enlisting other family members, friends and in-home caregivers to help with meals, chores and health needs reduces stress and aids in restful sleep.

· Avoid eating too much late in the evening. A heavy meal or snack too close to bedtime can cause heartburn, a backflow of stomach acid and food into the esophagus, and overall discomfort when lying down to sleep.

· Curb alcohol and nicotine use late in the day. Both alcohol and nicotine can reduce the quality of sleep.

· Practice calming habits before bed by reducing stimulating activities such as watching TV, intense reading or working at the computer.

· Take a look at medications that have sleeplessness side effects. Many medications, including those used to treat colds, allergies and high blood pressure, can disrupt sleep.

· Make a to-do list before going to bed if you find yourself waking in the middle of the night mulling over responsibilities and problems.

“Taking care of yourself first, including restful sleep and regular respite breaks, is paramount for any family caregiver,” Williams adds. “As a home care provider, every little step to ensure you routinely get enough sleep is not a selfish act but a sincere act of providing the best care possible for your loved one.”

About Right at Home

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home care and companionship and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Local Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff, each of whom is thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client’s home. Right at Home’s global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 42 states nationwide and throughout the world. For more information on Right at Home, read the Right at Home caregiving blog at http://www.rightathome.net/blog.

About Right at Home of Ann Arbor

The Ann Arbor Michigan office of Right at Home is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., providing in-home care to the communities of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Belleville, Plymouth, Chelsea, Dearborn, Canton, Dexter, and beyond. For more information, contact Right at Home of Ann Arbor at http://www.rightathome.net/washtenaw or by phone at (734) 971-5000.